Matsumoto Muraku
Matsumoto Muraku was the leader of the Kasanemanji School. He then joined the Muhou School and became one of the Leader's Personal Corps. He also has a thing for Gama. Appearance Muraku is a tall person with a bald head. He has a three tattoos on his head: two on the right side and one on the left. He has thin eyebrows and sharp eyes. He wears a light overshirt with a black and white triangle trim, over a black under shirt. He also wears a jacket with black triangle on the trim of the sleeves and black shoulders. He also wears dark colored pants. Later it is revealed that he wears a chain mail made out of hair from the people he has loved. Personality Muraku is first shown as a calm but stern person, chastising his subordinates for showing off their techniques where anyone can see them. Later it is revealed that he has a blood thirsty and sadistic side, murdering people in cold blood and asking Naoyoshi how he'll like to die. He also has a love for strong martial artists, and even adds their hair to his chain mail after killing them. After facing Gama, he becomes attracted to him and wants to add him to his chain mail. Compared to before, Muraku becomes more and more frantic, to the point that he joined the Muhou School only to have a chance at meeting Gama again. His love is so strong that he will continue to move after being mortally wounded. He's also shown to be both overly jealous and sensible about his homosexuality, as he brutally killed the Muhou School soldiers who were fighting Gama and killed the remaining one after he called him a "freak" after hearing about his hair mail. He also claims that he murders his beloved ones so that they wouldn't suffer the effects of age, implying that he may be an ephebophile too. History Sometime ago, Muraku became the leader of the Kasanemanji School. During his period as a martial artist he slaughtered a large number of young martial artists he fell in love with and added their hair to his mail. Later, he entered the Unabara tournement with a few other members and killed the rest of the members of the other schools in the first round. Plot Second Round Arc Muraku first appeared in front of the Ogame School, looking for two of his students (Jaki and Kotaru). He talks to Jaki about how he shouldn't display his technique in a place where he doesn't know who is watching. He then apologizes to the Ogame School and leaves for the meeting at the castle about the second round of the tournament. During the meeting, he hears that all they have to do is take the head of one of the daimyo's son and bring it back to the castle. He decides to go after the Ogame school first, leaving after the meeting is over. Tamagakushi School Arc As the three Tamagakushi School ninjas prepares to finish Naoyoshi off, Muraku suddenly kills one of them, Shu, and calmly walks in sight, saying that from now on, he'll move in the first line. He kills the other two ninjas when they try attack him without even looking at them. He then treathens to kill Naoyoshi, but Gama stops him in time. He faces Gama, and easily blocks Gama's first attack despite its speed and, at the same time, traps the boy with his chains and pulls him towards his sickle. Gama barely manages to block the blade, so Muraku tries to kill Naoyoshi with the weight, so that Gama is forced to push him back and wound himself even more. As the two are locked in a stale, Muraku suddenly let Gama go and comments that someone troublesome had shown up. He then watches as Gama faces Fujibayashi Saizou. He tries to attack both Gama and Naoyoshi with his kusarigama but they both dodge his attack. When Gama blocks a attack from Saizou, Muraku tries to smash Gama's head with the weight, but he only manages to slightly injure him. He then decides to stop attacking and wait for the conclusion of the battle between Saizo and Gama. When Saizou tries to cut Naoyoshi's head off, Muraku stops him. He then tells Saizou that he has figured his technique and that he will kill him now, angering the ninja. When Gama comes back into the fight, he lets Saizou go in and watches as Gama bisects Saizou. He leaves before he can continue his fight with Gama. He thinks to himself that he's a bit too much excited and that he'll definetively find a way to defeat Gama's Narukami. After the fall of Unabara at the hands of the Muhou School, he's approached by several members of said school who tries to enlist him in their ranks. After killing a lot of them, he decides to join, hoping to meet Gama again. 47 Corps Arc After a year, Muraku has killed some bandits on the road that Shinnojou and Zenmaru are traveling on. He then appears on the road that Yashichi is carrying his commander on, excited to see Gama after a year. Eastern Gate Arc He appears a few days later in a meeting with Jinsuke, along with the rest of the Personal Corps. Jinsuke orders them to kill the Ogame School who have invaded Unabara. Muraku is pleased that he has the chance to finish them off. Matsumoto Muraku Arc Later he appears outside the building that the Ogame School is hiding out where he murders two members of the Muhou School for trying to kill Gama. He then "sniffs" Gama's scent mixed with blood and, elated enters the building where he kills two more members of the Muhou School, and orders the last to move the bodies, so that he and Gama can fight properly. He then faces Gama in a fight. When the young swordsman tries to attack him, he blocks his slash with the sickle. He tries to smash the weight into Gama's head but it barely hits him. He then attack again but misses by few. Muraku loops the chain around his neck and stabs Gama in the shoulder. However as Gama fights back he's surprised and backs off as Gama tries to cut off his head, only to chip his throat. Muraku retaliates but misses and after a brief confrontation during which the sickle is chipped, Gama manages to catch him offguard and slash him in the chest, only to find out that the attack was blocked by Muraku's Kami Katabira. The deranged warrior explains the nature of the mail and licks it over, much to Gama's horror and disgust. Upon hearing the last Muhou member calling him a freak he claims that he's pretty normal, and then suddenly caves his skull in wth a sudden shot. He explains his love to Gama and what he did to the previous martial artists he loved, claiming that he won't let Gama age. He then hangs the scythe to his belt and reveals the deadly weapon of his former school, Futakubi Jasho, getting the advantage in the fight as now he can attack with two chains at the same time. Gama tries to slash Muraku but he pretends to have been wounded only to reveal that his Kami Katabira blocked the hit and counterattacks, forcing Gama to use both swords at the same time. With no other choice left, Gama decides to use Narukami against Muraku who, however knows about that technique and is ready to counter it. Thanks to his clever thinking, Gama drops one of his swords in order to block one of the chains and after deflecting the other one rushes at Muraku. He tries to follow Gama's movement and intercept him, but the young swordsman modifies the technique by moving again out of his range and use Narukami X Kosen to pierce Muraku's mail, causing him to drop on the floor, seemingly dead. Much to Gama's surprise however, Muraku's persistence leads him to get back up, intent on killing Gama and claiming that he came to the world to become one with him. Left without weapons and in great danger, Gama decides to rush towards the crazed Muraku in order to stop his attack and manage to get his hands on the sword sticking out of Muraku's abdomen. As the insane warrior screams his name, Gama praises his skills and willforce but replies that his determination is even stronger and pulls out the sword, slicing Muraku's intestines and finishing him off for good. His corpse is later seen in another room, with his face covered by a blanket. Abilities Muraku is an incredible fight er. He was able to become one of the Leader's Personal Corps after entering the Muhou School. When he first faced Gama, he was able to out match him. He has been shown to be a expert with the chain and sickle and can make it move in a pattern where no one can predict. He can also defend himself wonderfully using his scythe, a weapon which isn't designed for defense. Weapons Kusarigama: 'Muraku's standard weapon, his kusarigama is a bit more elaborated than the other's, but otherwise has no special characteristic. After the timeskip he carries a new one, with a more decorated sickle and slightly squared weights. 'Kami Katabira: Muraku wears a chain mail made of the hair of the martial artists that he has loved. The Kami Katabira is stronger than an average chain mail. Deadly Weapon of the Kasanemanji School: Futakubi Jashou (Two-Headed Snake Bell): Muraku wraps a chain around his waist and hangs the sickle from it. He then hangs another weight to the other end of the chain and holds them in his arms, allowing him to effectively double his attack. Battles Past *Matsumoto Muraku and the Kasanemanji School vs. the Kuribayashi School (Win) Present *Matsumoto Muraku vs. Shu, Yagoro, and Unnamed Tamagakushi member (Win) *Matsumoto Muraku vs. Gama Kurogane (Round 1)(Interrupted) *Matsumoto Muraku vs. Gama Kurogane vs. Fujibayashi Saizou (Retreated) *Matsumoto Muraku vs. Bandits (Win) *Matsumoto Muraku vs. Muhou School Members (Win) *Matsumoto Muraku vs. Utsumi and two other Muhou School Members (WIn) *Matsumoto Muraku vs. Gama Kurogane (Round 2)(Lose) Category:Characters Category:Muhou School Category:Leaders Category:Personal Corps Category:Kasanemanji School Category:Antagonists Category:Male Category:Decease